


The Miracle

by Keb_0712



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Light Angst, Past Relationship(s), Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 21:06:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3624270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keb_0712/pseuds/Keb_0712
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Living in a post-apocalyptic nightmare, Jenny Matthews runs into an old flame in the most unlikely of places.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Miracle

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever attempt at writing fan fiction, so please be kind and take that into consideration as you read this. I had a blast writing this so...enjoy! And also, it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway; I do not own The Walking Dead or it's characters.

_You moron, not again!_ Jenny stopped  short as she realized her “backup” had managed to get himself lost. Again. _Backup_ , she scoffed at the word. “More like liability. City boy. Never been camping. Never held a gun. Fat lotta good that’ll do me out here. But that’s fine. Jenny’ll cover ‘im. Jenny’ll teach ‘im to shoot. Jenny’ll risk ‘er life fer a-” A twig snapped.

Pulling her knife from her belt Jenny crouched behind a fallen tree, eyes darting wildly around her surroundings expecting a walker to emerge at any moment. _Now who’s the moron, Jenny?_ She thought to herself, _You know better than to shoot your mouth off out here._ Another twig snapped and she heard someone cuss under his breath. Relief flooded her as she realized it wasn’t a walker, it must be Roger. As she started to stand she realized there was absolutely no way the approaching man was Roger; his footsteps were too deliberate, his movements too stealthy.

She dropped down again, clutching her knife tighter as a new wave of terror overcame her. Her last encounter with people outside her group was, to her, worse than any close call with a walker. Her empty hand went to her neck and she touched the scar that served as a constant reminder than people aren’t to be trusted in this world, that they will stop at nothing to survive.

Jenny shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the problem at hand. _I never thought I’d say this, but I wish Roger was here. At least then we’d have this guy outnumbered_. He was in sight now, still in the shadows but she could definitely see the outline of a man with a crossbow coming in her direction. She looked down and closed her eyes for a moment as she braced herself to act on her new motto: attack first, ask questions later. The adrenaline coursing through her veins was making her hands shake. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself. _Is this really what you want, Jenny? Do you really want to attack this man, unprovoked? Can you live with yourself if you kill ‘im?_ Tears blurred her vision and her resolve disintegrated, she couldn’t attack this man. She’d just hope he didn’t see her and fight like a woman possessed if he did. She began praying to a God she didn’t know if she even believed in anymore as the man got closer. The footsteps stopped about three feet away from her tree and she closed her eyes in fear and she held her breath.

A harsh whisper broke the silence, “Sophia!”

Jenny’s eyes flew open and her jaw dropped. She recognized that voice. No, she knew his voice. “Daryl?” she squeaked without thinking, giving her away her location.

“Sophia?” His voice sounded so hopeful, she hated to disappoint him.

“No, it's me. It’s Jenny.” She stood as she said her name, stepped over the tree and turned to look at the face she knew so well, Daryl Dixon. Even after all this time, his piercing blue eyes still took her breath away.

“Jenny Matthews. Ain’t you a sight fer sore eyes.” A walker appeared out of nowhere and started making her way towards them. With an eye roll and a grunt of annoyance Daryl turned and shot an arrow straight into the walker’s head, dropped his crossbow and looked back at Jenny unphased, “Always knew if anyone from back home woulda made it out alive, itta be you.” His face broke out into one of his rare smiles as he closed the gap between them in two strides and wrapped her in his strong arms. “How’ve ya been, sugar?”

The moment she was in his arms again everything melted away. She was no longer fighting for her life in a post-apocalyptic nightmare, she was 17 again-safe in the arms of the troubled boy with a good heart from the wrong part of town. Memories came flooding back. Memories of sneaking out of the house while her father prepared his sermon for the following Sunday, meeting Daryl around the corner and racing away on his brother’s motorcycle, of breaking into the school to climb to the roof to count stars and dream of a brighter tomorrow-just the two of them against the world.

She was brought back to reality when she heard Daryl sniff and it dawned on her that he was crying. He came to her far too often to get bandaged up after his father had had too much to drink, but she had never once seen Daryl Dixon cry. She gently pulled back to look at him. She gave him a small smile and lightly brushed a tear from his cheek. He looked deep in her eyes and took hold of her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles.

“I can’t believe you’re ok. Y’are ok, ain’t ya Jenny?” He whispered, his voice low and gravelly.

“Yeah, I’m ok.” And with that he leaned in and kissed her and the world disappeared. There were no walkers, no kill or be killed mentality among the survivors, no living in fear. There was only the two of them and the kiss they shared.

Muffled voices calling for Sophia brought the pair of them back to earth and Daryl broke the kiss. He rested his forehead against hers, “Better be gettin’ back.” He bent down to pick up his bow and retrieve the arrow from the walker’s skull, stood and looked and Jenny. Taking her hand in his he asked, “You got people or-” footsteps as subtle as a stampeding elephant were making their way through the forest in, roughly, their direction.

“Oh good. My backup is coming. I’m safe now, “ Jenny chuckled.

Daryl raised an eyebrow at her mouthed the word backup and shook his head. “Guess that answers that.” He squeezed her hand, “Be careful out there. Take care-a yerself Jenny.”

“You too Daryl,” she replied fighting back tears. They paused for a few more seconds, not wanting the miracle of finding each other to come to an end. Daryl let go of her hand and the two of them began walking in opposite directions, Daryl to rejoin the search for Sophia and Jenny to save Roger from himself. They turned one last time to look at each other. Sad smiles were exchanged, both knowing the chances that they would ever see each other again were nonexistent. But for a few precious minutes the world wasn’t so harsh and cold. For a few precious minutes they found safety and comfort in one another. And that was enough.

 

 


End file.
